As the brains behind wedding site TyingTheKnot.com, Callie sees it all: from the ring to the dress, the smiles, to the tears. It's that last part that keeps her single and not looking. Getting left at the altar will do that to a girl. But when Callie returns to her old hometown, she finds that her sweet high school crush is sexier than ever. And he makes it hard to remember why she's sworn off love.

Tanner is a deep-sea diver with a wild, adrenaline-junkie past - and now his teenage son is back in his life. How can Tanner be a role model when he's still paying for his own mistakes? It's hard enough that gorgeous Callie has appeared in town like a beautiful dream, challenging his best-laid plans to keep his heart on lockdown. Though there's something about being around her again that makes him feel like he can be the man she - and his son - deserve.

Callie sells romance and the big wedding dream by running an online wedding site and being a wedding planner. The problem is is that she doesn’t really believe in any of the stuff she sells. She was left at the altar years earlier and now she doesn’t believe in love – or at least that’s what she tells herself.

Tanner is a man who has never been in love. He got a girl pregnant when they were just 17 years old and ended up marrying her. Not having any way to provide for his wife and son he joined the Navy but soon received divorce papers from his wife. After years of visiting his son and asking for custody his ex-wife now agrees to the custody but practically dumps their son, Troy off with Tanner and heads off to have fun with her boyfriend. While Tanner doesn’t like how it’s done he loves having his son around him and tries to get to know the sullen boy of 15. When he meets Callie he’s immediately taken with how she calms him and he loves being around her. He also enjoys Callie and Troy interact together.

Callie and Tanner start a bit of a habit of sitting together at the local bakery in the mornings but one day she doesn’t show up as she feels that she’s getting to attached to him – but who shows up at her door? Tanner, bearing gifts of coffee and donuts. The pair seem to have a great time together but Callie keeps telling him that even though they sleep together it doesn’t change anything – they’re just still friends. The problem is that both Callie and Tanner want it to change but neither come out and say it. This leads to hurt feelings and misunderstandings. Once they recognize the truth they’re then ready to do something about it.

I have to say that I really loved both Tanner and Callie in this story. Callie was quirky but levelheaded and Tanner was a bit more out there at times with his adrenaline rushes but also pretty down to earth. Between the two of them they really made just about the perfect couple. I loved how comfortable they felt with each other almost immediately – although Callie did have her moments at first with her klutziness. lol

The story also included a large portion that was focused on Tanner, Callie and Troy, Tanner’s son. Seeing Tanner trying to get Troy to talk to him and trust him; Callie putting Troy to work babysitting her grandmother, Lucille, and seeing his reaction to her – they were all just smile producing moments. I loved almost every part of Troy’s character in the book and thought he was a wonderful addition.

Of course we had to deal with Lucille in this book as Callie is her granddaughter but while she’s still her stubborn old self she was relatively mild in this one. I’ve always thought she was pretty hilarious and she was no different in this story.

Overall this was a great romance and love story that also had a wonderful family element to it. I can’t say it enough – I love this series and I hope it doesn’t end any time soon!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

This title is available from Grand Central Publishing. You can buy it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Quote of the Week

“You will be a wonderful queen. Kind, caring, compassionate. Strong, cunning, and ruthless when you need to be. But I can’t break my promise to myself. I won’t. Not even for you, highness.” The last word came out as a low whisper, but somehow, it shattered my heart more than if he had been shouting curses at me.”

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